Pacific Dawn Review - Part 1 - W817

[Sailaway John]

Well here it is . . . a Review of our trip on Pacific Dawn from 24th May to 3rd June 2008 up the East Coast of Australia.

PART ONE

Our Captain for this trip was Captain Andrew Froude, could have been a little more sociable but not too bad as cruise captains go.

Day 1 – Saturday 24th May

Boarded plane in Port Macquarie where we live and arrived in Sydney at around 11 am. We were not booked on the P&O transfer bus but had independent transfers with Sydney Airporter Bus, which of course stuffed up the time of our arrival and left us waiting at the Terminal for over 1 hour. Fortunately for them on the return pick-up from the Wharf back to the airport they were on time and very efficient. After we took our bags to the drop off point we met with our son and his girlfriend for a quick coffee, we then headed to the Cruise Terminal to check in which was very efficient and fast even taking into consideration the number of people that were being processed. We got our cruise cards and went through immigration and finally walked up the gangway onto the ship but not before we had our photos taken. Checked through the ship’s security and we were on board.

A lovely crew member took us up in the lift to Deck 10 (Baja Deck) and we found our very surprised at the smallness of the cabin as be have been on other cruise ships that had larger balcony cabins, anyway we agreed that this is what we had and that was what we were quite prepared to put up with and enjoy the cruise. Our bags hadn’t arrived by that time so we went up on deck for the start of the Sailaway Party. On the way out we met our cabin steward, a young girl named Nora. She didn’t do any towel folding but each night she would look for your PJ’s and neatly fold them in her special way – nice touch. Not on deck long before we had to go to our Passenger Emergency Drill and then after that back to the Sailaway. Big crowd on deck and it was a great evening going out of Sydney, under the Bridge and watching the bridge climbers waving to us, then we all nearly had heart attacks as the ship’s horns were blasted and blasted. What a great sound – we were on our way.

Dinner seating is Anytime Dining which we did not like at all due to the times that the shows were put on. If you went to dinner at 6pm (which we did) you had to hurry with your dinner to get to the show in the International Show Lounge before 7.30pm start. Some people went to Dinner at 5.30pm which really is too early but they did that so that they could get a seat at the show lounge. Some times we just had a leisurely dinner with some nice people we met and then hit one of the great bars on board and went to the second show which started at 9.30pm.

Jackie Love was one of the performers on our first night and she was fantastic. Our cruise director was a guy (pommy) named Martin – not bad as a cruise director.

In the Promenade Bar where we had a few cocktails on several nights was an entertainer named Jesse Banez who was very good on the piano. Big day has to come to an end, so back to our cabin, unpack and jump into bed and listen to the smooth sounds of the sea.

Day 2 – Sunday 25th May – At Sea

Rose and shined to a beautiful day and off to breakfast – and what a lot you had to choose from – everything under the sun. Boy some people can eat. I think some people hadn’t had any food for a week before sailing, they saved it all for the cruise.

The activities on board were enormous – for instance: Veterans Get-together, Anniversary Get-together, Wooden Horse Racing, Adult Snowball Jackpot Bingo, Arts and Craft, Card Games, Art shows, Deck quoits, Trivia, etc. I could on and on but you get the picture.

The wife went to the quilling and I went to deck quoits where she joined me after quilling. Also during the day in between other activities we went to the Grand Champagne Art Auction – plenty of champagne flowing and plenty of art to be auction. I think they fill you with champers so that you will bid on the paintings. We enjoyed the champers but no buying.

Had a few walks around the top deck and that works up the appetite. The show for the evening was Hayden Smith with the ship’s showband. He was a fantastic instrumentalist and the crowd loved him. Other activities were going on in the Bengal Bar and the Promenade bar and also right up top of the ship at The Dome where there was a 50’s & 60’s Rock & Roll Party. After all the activities that we attended, too many to mention, went back to the cabin and let the sea send us to sleep again, not knowing what we were in for on the last days of our cruise.

Day 3 – Monday 26 May – At Sea

Another great day. We had the P&O Cruises Grapevine, at 11am, which is wine tasting of all the best wines and at the best prices. You had to pay $9.50 to participate. Bit disappointed as on other cruises you were given an after-dinner liqueur with the tasting samples and allowed to keep the special souvenir glass. Then onto flower arranging demos for the wife, arts and crafts quilling, golf putting, fruit and vegetable carving, afternoon walk. In the Dome they had Line Dance Classes, Adult Playstation 3 challenge and Afternoon Trivia.

The show tonight was “Do You Want To Dance” with the Pacific Dawn Entertainers. Very Good. Also was Karaoke Night in the Bengal Bar and in the Dome Big Band Dancing. Of course all the time whilst at sea you have all the shops open to spend, spend, spend.

More to come – keep watching

[Alessandrina]

Thank you for taking the time to post your review. I await the next installment.

Cheers.

[NSWP]

Great stuff Sailaway John, looking forward to those days at sea to come.

Can hardly wait. Capt Andrew Froude (pom) was Capt of Regal Princess when we came over from LA to Sydney, had dinner with him and his Aussie wife Narelle as they were close friends with a lady at our table.

Quiet chap but competent I thought.

 

Keep it coming John.!